mirazgc's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
cherrywine_'s review
dark
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
annajoyreed93's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Part memoir, part historical nonfiction, part something entirely new - a lyrical exploration of femininity and the sometimes blissful sometimes excruciating surrender found in giving of oneself. The flow of chapters was a bit choppy for me at times, but I enjoyed this unique read. I was left itching to explore poetry written by this author.
“In pregnancy, I read, pluripotent cells from the foetus move through the placenta and enter the mother’s bloodstream. Within her body, they cling to tissues, mimicking the composition of surrounding cells, and there, they remain, long after the baby has left. A collection of such cells from subsequent siblings may be all stored within the mother simultaneously, each cluster coordinating and conflicting with a mothers own bodily impulses. I think of Máire Ní Dhuibh, alone on the strand, her eye on the horizon, as her twin infants swim the ocean inside her. Even after both had grown and gone, she may have returned there, thinking of her daughters, far away in their own lives. Just as they remained in her thoughts, some of their cellular matter also remained in her body, vestigial, lingering.”
“In pregnancy, I read, pluripotent cells from the foetus move through the placenta and enter the mother’s bloodstream. Within her body, they cling to tissues, mimicking the composition of surrounding cells, and there, they remain, long after the baby has left. A collection of such cells from subsequent siblings may be all stored within the mother simultaneously, each cluster coordinating and conflicting with a mothers own bodily impulses. I think of Máire Ní Dhuibh, alone on the strand, her eye on the horizon, as her twin infants swim the ocean inside her. Even after both had grown and gone, she may have returned there, thinking of her daughters, far away in their own lives. Just as they remained in her thoughts, some of their cellular matter also remained in her body, vestigial, lingering.”
racheldaisy's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sanmeow's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
a truly unique reading experience, and it somewhat worked for me. it's so full of emotion and i really love the writing style and so many word choices. however, i did feel like i couldn't connect with this emotionally and it was repetitive at times. also not really into the excessive use of breast milk imagery, just not my thing. i don't think i'm the target audience for this, but i can still see that this is a quality book that many will feel emotionally connected to.
ethantw00's review against another edition
5.0
“If I could find a way to communicate all I have learned of her days, maybe others would discover the clues that’s eluded me, and I might learn more from them. To do so, I would have to give something very precious away. I would have to surrender to an ending.”
I did not want this to end, dammit!!!!!!
I think this might be my favorite book I’ve read for my Advanced CNF Writing class so far.
There is just so, so much here that begs multiple read-throughs and analyses.
I did not want this to end, dammit!!!!!!
I think this might be my favorite book I’ve read for my Advanced CNF Writing class so far.
There is just so, so much here that begs multiple read-throughs and analyses.
radueriel's review
4.25
a stunning and rich "female text" that lives in the unexplored corner of poetry and memoir, translation and obsession, motherhood and loss.